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Dr. Olsen, Psychologist

Category: Mental Health

Satisfied Customers: 2336

Experience: PsyD Psychologist

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my daughter (22) is a drug addict. she is not hard core, but she smokes pot EVERY day. she

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my daughter (22) is a drug addict. she is not hard core, but she smokes pot EVERY day. she is a college grad (cum laude) who seems to be going nowhere. i feel the chronic pot smoking has been huge in her complacency and while i know it's very 'tough' for kids 'out there', i feel hopeless in helping her realize she is wasting her talent. she is extremely intelligent, compassionate, and so on, she seems to lack motivation. i don't believe she is even a candidate for rehab. can you help me?

yes she is, although past experience with therapy has not seem to have much of an effect regarding this issue. there are times she does not see it as a problem, yet there was ONE time she confided in me that she wished she could stop but she can't. At that time i looked into 12 step related programs (rehab), but the cost was astronomical

It sounds like she is addicted to marijuana. I wonder if shealso has mood disorder such as Depression and Anxiety. Excess use of marijuana may cause depression and anxiety over time. Sex, food, internet pornography, and spending can all become addictive and, because of their unavoidable presence in one's life, abstinence is not always a solution. Changing one's thinking and behavioral processes from addictive back to controllable and health is not easy, but often with help, can be accomplished. She will need to learn to control the addictive, compulsive impulses and to retrain her thinking about marijuana. Many adults with her problems may have dysfunctional beliefs like: "It is not possible to relax or feel good with other things." I think Cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT) can be helpful for her in changing her own maladaptive thought patterns that may continue to feed her addiction. Twelve-step support groups such as Marijuana Addict Anonymous (SA) may be helpful for her. If she is open to counseling, she may work with a therapist/counselor who specializes in addiction. She or you may call her health insurance company and get a list of provider in her area. Or you can search a licensed psychologist on internet- such as the PSYCHOLOGY TODAY website. Go to the advanced search page (http://therapists.psychologytoday.com/rms/index.php?t=custom) and enter your zip code and click an optional specialty as addiction. Read psychotherapists’ profile to see if he or she specializes in Cognitive-behavior therapy. You may also want to create your mental image of psychotherapist that she wants to work with – Male or female? Old or young? To note, many therapists offer initial consultation for free. So you and she can see it as an informational meeting. You can ask any question. You can also negotiate psychotherapy fee and number of session. If she has no health insurance and seeks a low fee counseling, you or she may call The United Way toll free # XXXXX to find the community mental health centers in her area in which she can get treatment described above even without health insurance. To find a group therapy or a support group for her, contact a local hospital or a clinic by asking if they offer a group for young adults with marijuana addiction. If she wants to find a support group online, check Mental Health America website section (http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/go/find_support_group) - Find a group in her area. Additionally, you may encourage her to try some or all of the following to improve and manage her mood - 1. Exercise moderately, but regularly, 2. Eat healthy but delicious meals, 3. Regularize your sleep cycle, 4. Don't drink to excess or abuse drugs, 5. Spend some time every day in play, 6. Develop recreational outlets that encourage creativity, 7. Distance yourself from destructive situations or people, 8. Practice mindfulness meditation, or walk, or an intimate talk, every day, 9. Allow yourself to feel pride in your accomplishments, 10, Listen to compliments and expression of affection, 11. Build and use a support system, 12. Pay more attention to small pleasures and sensations, 13. Challenge yourself, 14. Avoid unstructured time, 15. Practice good personal hygiene, 16. Avoid depressed self-absorption, 17. Cultivate your sense of humor. Also, yoga, meditation, Acupuncture, Guided imagery, and massage therapy may help. Finally, you may give her the book "The Habit Change Workbook: How to Break Bad Habits and Form Good Ones byJames Claiborn Ph.D., Cherry Pedrick R.N., James Claiborn". This good book may be helpful for her to change her habit. It is $11-15 on Amazon.com

Please let me know if you have more questions or I have overlooked any. P.S. Please remember to click the green accept button. Feel free to continue the discussion; my goal is to get you the best answers possible. Warm regards,

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